My 2 Oscars Stealing Food From Others :(

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
FishLoveMe22 said:
I am also worried about my oscars because I fear that I might accidentally overfeed in the process of getting food to the others.
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Don't worry since you have a lot of control. Put in 20 floating pellets and 10 sinking pellets all at once and spread out around the tank. All the fish will eat.

After a few minutes, see what is going on. If everyone is still eating and all the food is about gone, you fed too little. If the Oscars have stopped eating and the others haven't, you fed too little. If the Oscars are still eating and the others seem full, you fed the right amount. :eek:

If everyone has stopped eating and some food is left, remove it and feed a bit less next time.

Oscars and the other fish are smart enough to figure out there will be lots of food floating and sinking. Once they realize there is a huge feast coming, they'll go for what they see and not worry about what's a foot away.
 
But the thing is, my oscars are really feisty even though they are about the same size or slightly bigger than the others. Even if the sinking foods make it too the bottom, they continue to hunt for the pellets....they even eat zucchini that are supposed to be for the loaches :( I always feed like the suggestions I am getting and feed in different areas with a variety all at once. Even to the point where the oscars stomachs are bulging and swim slowly. I am thinking of removing them so they can be alone. Will they get along with a single African Cichlid just wondering?
 
FishLoveMe22 said:
But the thing is, my oscars are really feisty even though they are about the same size or slightly bigger than the others. Even if the sinking foods make it too the bottom, they continue to hunt for the pellets....they even eat zucchini that are supposed to be for the loaches :( I always feed like the suggestions I am getting and feed in different areas with a variety all at once. Even to the point where the oscars stomachs are bulging and swim slowly. I am thinking of removing them so they can be alone. Will they get along with a single African Cichlid just wondering?
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Depending on the African cichlid possibly. But there is always risk of the two oscars bullying the African


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I have the same challenge with my Uarus. They are the tank cows. I feed mini sinking pellets NLS (im thinking i may up the size to fill the uarus cheeks faster lol)I have incorporated Spirulina Flakes for my Apisto, Angels, Keyholes, and clown loaches. The Uarus go for the pellets and will push anyone out of their way. The flakes float around land on the driftwood and the ground, the smaller fish can gobble the flakes, the Uarus don't go after the flakes aggressively, they are floating everywhere in the water and they are just not of substance for the mighty water cows lol. Sometime I drop peas in for the Uarus (they are the only ones that can fit them in their mouth) they can't fit another bite momentarily so when their cheeks are packed I drop pellets/flakes/bloodworms (depending on what day it is). The pleco used to miss out but he has also learned don't wait for the food, when the flakes and pellets are dropping he is crusing around the bottom getting his share lol.

Once a week I drop in 3 cubes of frozen blood worms that are everywhere so everyone gets a few. Ya gotta get creative lol. They have all learned the pattern and do well.

I am outside my comfort zone of over feeding but I do weekly 3/4 wc so waste is eliminated. Good luck!
 
OP...I have the same problem in one of my tanks. There are some PIGS in there that eat up all the food before the smaller fish/less aggressive fish can get some. I feed pellets...and you can do one of two things:

- some pellets are sold as a mix (both floaters & sinkers)
- buy two bags of pellets (one bad of sinking & one bag of floating) and feed some of each

This way everybody gets a better chance of getting a meal.:)
 
I have moved the oscars into a 110 gallon temporarily. And later will be in a 300 with a pacu. Thanks for the advice guys! But no matter what I tried even just mixing the sinking and floating pellets and dumping them in, the oscars literally take the food out of the other's mouths. Plus they are growing too fast for the others. What makes me angry is that my 5 inch tiger oscar had my 3 inch prochilodus inside his mouth this morning >:( well, that's 35 dollars gone...
 
I had the same problem with my oscar and arowana just feed the oscar first and get him stuffed and quickly feed the others this is what I had to do hope this helps :)


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